Renee Ellmers Slammed by her Right Wing for scuttling abortion bill
Most times politicians are attacked for being spineless. They are attacked for voting for laws that negatively affect their constituents in order to appease a donor, a lobbyist, or a strong advocate. Why would they do that? Republican Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC) provides a perfect example.
Renee Ellmers scuttled a rather restrictive GOP abortion bill. Why did she do that? According to the Weekly Standard,
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, a Republican of North Carolina, has been raising concerns about a late-term abortion ban that the House is scheduled to vote on this week, but she said Wednesday afternoon that she will vote for the bill even if it comes to the floor without changes she wants in it.
“I have a very pro-life district, and I’m very pro-life. I will vote for this if it doesn’t change,” Ellmers told THE WEEKLY STANDARD. “I will vote for this, and I will have to put out an immediate press release saying I really disagree with that reporting language.”
Ellmers was referring to the provision in the bill dealing with the very unusual case in which a person is raped and then waits until at least the sixth month of pregnancy to get an abortion. In order to keep this exception from becoming a loophole that would allow late-term abortionists to simply check a box, the victim seeking an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy must report the crime to the authorities. There would not be a reporting requirement during the first five months of pregnancy.
Why would the party that wants to get government out of your life require government in your life on such a decision? It is rather bewildering.
Renee Ellmers likely knew she would be attacked. The attack by RedState.com was over the line. Erick Erickson wrote a piece with the misogynistic title “The Pro-Life Movement Must Stop Being Whores of the Republican Party”
I know there are many angered by the title of this post, but the truth hurts. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been to political events where a politician kisses babies and talks Jesus so the pro-lifers in the crowd get thigh sweats and send the politician to Washington. When the politician takes up with his mistress or pays for an abortion or, as Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) did, undermines the pro-life cause, they are just horrified.
But still they return predictable to the GOP for more abuse and disappointment. Maybe it is time for a third party to give the GOP competition. …
In short, the pro-life movement must stop being the whores of the GOP. The Republican Leadership knows the pro-life movement is in its pocket. They have nowhere else to go. They have no one else to vote for. As much as Republicans look at black voters and tut-tut that they are being taken advantage of by a Democratic Party that knows black voters will not go anywhere, the Republicans are doing precisely the same to pro-life voters. …
This site must now commit itself to defeating Republicans in general elections, even if it means a Democrat will get elected, should those Republicans betray the first principles of our party.Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) must be first on that list. If she is not beaten in a primary, the fight must continue in the general election.
Another writer at the site wonders if Renee Ellmers is even worthy of life. While we must blame politicians for their lack of spine, the forces of a minority that controls the majority is what needs mitigation. I am no supporter of Renee Ellmers, however the attacks against her hurts us all. If a politician fears the special interests more than he/her wants to support his/her constituents, we all lose.
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